Do we, as a people, have the courage to take on the billionaire class?

[polichick]

This is the question Bernie Sanders is asking right now on Rachel's show. He says it will take a "mass movement" - a "political revolution."

Do we, as a people, have the courage? Do we have the heart?

[peacebird]

1. I do.

[polichick]

5. Me too - but I'm with Bernie in thinking it won't work...

until enough people are ready.

[L0oniX]

2. Do we have a soul? ...or was it sold to the 1% to win elections?

[bvf]

3. I would reply,

"Do we have the attention span?"

[polichick]

8. That's an issue - most people are so distracted...

they don't even realize that the gov't has been taken over by "the billionaire class."

[Triana]

11. That's the key. It will take a months - years-long consistently intense FIGHT...

...yes, a revolution, to move the dial.

Most people don't have the attention span. Most aren't even paying attention. Millions are too busy just trying to survive -- which is one advantage the GOP uses -- keep people so desperate and busy surviving they haven't time, money or energy to fight.

[kag]

18. Of course!

Of course we have the atten...Squirrel!

(Sorry. Couldn't help myself.)

[JDPriestly]

26. If you read my super-long posts, you will know that I am never lacking in attention span.

I have a horribly long attention span. I can be quite boring as a result. The details and nuances of things just fascinate me. Part of the effect of being born extremely near-sighted I think. But your question is a good one.

[bvf]

35. FTR, I never find your posts boring, JD.

Last edited Thu Apr 16, 2015, 05:55 AM - Edit history (1)

There are plenty of posters hereabouts (on DU--not in this particular discussion), who seem capable of going on almost endlessly without making a clear point, but you're definitely not in that camp.

[U4ikLefty]

29. Diversion, distraction, and complacency are some of their most effective weapons

and America does all 3 very well

[rocktivity]

4. The courage, yes.

The money, no.


rocktivity

[BlueJazz]

6. I don't believe enough of us are capable to take on anything except housing, food and transportation

I take no glee in saying that.

[polichick]

10. And that's just how they want us.

[JDPriestly]

31. But housing, food and transportation are precisely the issues we should be talking about.

Because when Bernie Sanders talks about the oligarchs, he is talking about the attacks on our ability to have housing, food and transportation.

The 2008 economic crisis was about whether ordinary people deserve to have housing, food and transportation. That is precisely what the oligarchs are about: limiting the ability of everyone else to have housing, food and transportation. They want to profit from renting housing to us (rather than our being able to buy and own our housing), feeding us food that is not good for us, that makes us morbidly obese and harms us and making sure we have spend huge amounts of money on cars because public transportation is nonexistent or very poor.

So, if we take on housing, food and transportation, we are taking on the oligarchs.

[BlueJazz]

41. I certainly agree with you on your points regarding how to change the system we now have.

Don't misinterpret my lack of faith (on the populace) as a personal choice.
I'm more concerned that Americans are worked to death trying to survive and MIGHT be hard to mobilize in the direction of what we speak.
I DO have hope that things have gotten so bad for the poor/middle class that it may overcome their "Care Fatigue" and lack of involvement in the political process.
I continue to support people who are working to change life for the down-trodden. (Like Bernie).
Even if our hopes are not realized, we must try if for no other reason than to inspire others.

[treestar]

54. Revolutions occur when that is impossible

If we can do it and end up in reasonable comfort, people don't take the trouble to revolt, and that does not always end up in a better state of affairs anyway.

This isn't Tsarist Russia, too. We are free to complain about it. Look there is a national politician even discussing such a thing and not getting shot.

We have it better than we think, and can change things without desperate measures.

[BlueJazz]

55. I truly hope I'm proven wrong. I'll be trying to change things anyway. (No matter what I think)

[Cosmic Kitten]

7. If it's gonna happen, it best happen soon

The world is on
the cusp of change.

The information age,
global conflict, Whistle blowers,
the erosion of the unipolar political controls,
economic instability and an emerging
multi-polar political-economic system,
all point to a ripeness for change.

The billionaire class is already uneasy.

[F4lconF16]

30. Don't forget the environment.

Climate change and population growth are going to be the nails in the coffin of capitalism, imo. Whether the oligarchs like it or not. The pressures will be tremendous, and capitalism requires unrestrained growth. It is literally unsustainable. It may take a while, but it will kick in, and when it does, all of our other problems will seem small.

[Cosmic Kitten]

43. Absolutely! It's the environment.

The environment is always
up front in my thinking.
It's become a given in my
world view...makes it too
easy to assume others do as well.

Thanks for making that point

[ronnie624]

48. Good comments, both of you.

Seeing that at least some get it, can offer hope.

[onecaliberal]

9. I damn sure am.

I'm putting my money in. If we want a primary we'd better stop talking about and doing something.
Why do people expect others to do everything for them.
WE ARE THE PEOPLE WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!

[smokey nj]

12. I'm in!!

[DinahMoeHum]

13. Yes, but the way some of us think it should be done. . .

. . .is not fit for further discussion.

[upaloopa]

51. The only avenue to change is to keep the repubs

from winning in 2016. That takes all of us to vote for the Dem.
It is not like you stated.
You are a defeatist I think.

[DeSwiss]

15. No, I don't think so.

Even now as can be plainly seen with the Hillary question, many would rather we picked someone we're familiar with and then close our eyes tightly, and hope and pray that they won't beat us too hard once we've put them in office. That they won't let the ''bad guys'' stick it in us too far. That they'll remember who elected them and not ignore us like all the others before them.

And then more shackles will be closed around our bare limbs and the other shackles already on us will be tightened further. And more laws and rules will be enacted to ''protect us from the enemies'' (like TPP) and we'll all be as snug as a bug in the rug.

- We hope.


K&R

[xfundy]

16. Yes.

I have nothing left, thanks to them.

[ErikJ]

17. Bernie does.

I was just thinking today about how he is almost alone in Congress fighting the billionaire class because he is about the only one who wont take their bribe money.

[840high]

19. +1

[Thespian2]

20. Actually, the people do.

If enough computer geniuses keep the GodOffalParty from flipping votes in key states...
If the people want a more representative government...
If enough people would like to have enough money to feed their families...
If enough people are tired of shitty roads, collapsing bridges, poor educational systems, police as corporate backed bullies...
If enough people see the need to combat climate change by getting rid of fossil fuels...
If enough people want to have universal health care...

If enough people want to take America back from the Billionaire Class...

We will soon know if enough people actually care about their country.


^R^U^N ^S^E^N^A^T^O^R

^S^A^N^D^E^R^S

[moondust]

21. Doubt it.

The billionaire class has probably accumulated enough leverage to bribe and/or threaten enough politicians and institutions into submission to the status quo that empowers the billionaire class.

[SoapBox]

23. And they are virtually invisible.

[SoapBox]

22. It concerns me a lot...

That the masses are SO engrossed with their damned phones, texting, gaming, sports, drinking, drugs and spewing out "FUCK".

I sat between two of those on a flight today...I doubt that they would even know about any of this, nor would they care.

[bvf]

33. Completely agree.

Although I throw an occasional "fuck" around sometimes, it's usually in the service of expressing the same concern as yours, as in:

"Only a little more than a third of American adults can name the three branches of government? Are you fucking kidding me??

[ErikJ]

24. Spirit of Roosevelt's VP Henry Wallace

[JDPriestly]

25. We have to start somewhere. Because our Constitution, for example, our jury system,

presumes an enlightened, capable, confident and empowered population. If we don't have that, if we have a population that cowers before people or is overly influenced by people just because those people have the money to buy time on the radio or TV or because they can pay for slick ads and influence politicians, you can pay as much verbal homage to the American Constitution as you wish, but you will not be able to govern according to that Constitution.

We are already deviating from the Constitution because Obama as president understands that he has to respond to the challenges in the world and in our country, challenges like nuclear disarmament and immigration, but Congress is living in the past, drugged by the intravenous infusions of the money from the oligarchs. Congress is sort of floating in an unreal world worried about and legislating about problems that don't exist. Meanwhile, our country and our world are changing and Obama sits there without the authority to deal with the problems that
Obama cannot avoid dealing with.

It's a strange situation. Normally, we think that despots take over the governments of countries by force or cruelty. But in our case, Obama is simply being forced to act and do what Congress should be taking the responsibility to do. The Constitutional separation and allocation of powers is lost but not because Obama is particularly keen on taking an inordinate amount of power but rather because Congress is unwilling to exercise its power to respond to the real challenges of our time.

What a strange way to destroy a Constitution and a democracy.

Bernie is right. We the people need to respond to this crisis.

Oddly, the "revolution" is not to change our Constitution but rather to bring it back to life. And adding an amendment that gets big money and big pacs out of politics and requires complete disclosure of all political donations and expenditures while prohibiting job and housing discrimination against people based on their political participation, donations and expenditures is important. Also, we need to make it clear in the Constitution that the Bill of Rights applies only in a limited way to corporations, that corporations and other business forms are merely legal constructs and not people for purposes of human rights.

Bernie is right. He is so level-headed and intelligent. I'm volunteering for him. I love Elizabeth Warren. But thus far she doesn't want to run. Bernie is the most experienced of the potential candidates and has the best experience.

[whereisjustice]

27. yes.

[AuntPatsy]

28. Many do, some wish they had the time and or funds to achieve this needed political revolution

Plenty have the courage but plenty will not find it an easy road to travel.....

[whereisjustice]

32. According to Hillary everyone is happy, compliant and above average. Her whole campaign revolves

around not disturbing the rich like her.

[Diremoon]

34. I don't think so.

I believe that most people in the United States are basically glued to their televisions, getting fat on the Chick Fil A sandwiches or what ever else Fox tells them to eat, and they are just content to get harvested when the overlord decide.
I, on the other hand, do not intend to go quietly. I will be damned if I let my children and grandchildren get the miserable existence that the oligarchs relegate to us if there is anything I can do to stop them.

[slumcamper]

36. Yes--and I imagine it's relatively easy and bloodless.

It will be peaceful and nonviolent in the form of a "digital" and economic coup d'état by "Robin Hood"--a proletarian-benevolent virus that penetrates financial systems. It will disrupt the digitized realm of the financial world and reallocate/redistribute assets on a scale that is impossible to correct. A new economic reality will be birthed in an instant, and the people of the world will engage in an orgiastic frenzy of consumerism that depletes goods and services, resulting in runaway inflation, and in the end our currency will be worthless.

(at least, that's the dream I had)

[Binkie The Clown]

37. Squirrel!

The attention span of the average American is far too short, and most are too easily distracted by Hollywood gossip and ...

[font size=4]squirrel![/font]

[Cosmic Kitten]

46. If we know how it works, design the message to fit the medium

or... the medium is the message?

[FreakinDJ]

38. NO - because they going to let me in "The Club"

[dembotoz]

42. too true

[F4lconF16]

39. No.

I don't think we do yet. The working class is divided. Those who can afford to be are distracted, and those who can't have no time for anything but food and shelter. Sometimes not even that.

It will take a mass changing of the level of conciousness in this country for that to happen. It will require that people understand the alternatives to our current system. It will require close-knit communities who are not afraid to stand up and say, "No."

All but a few of us do not have the courage, and too many are willingly blind. Even here on DU we see it. It will only be when enough people have lost enough of their lives that anything will change, and even then, the outcome is uncertain. It is very likely that we will plunge back into facism and uber-capitalism, with anarchist fringe elements. Meanwhile, the pressures of climate change grow ever stronger, and dealing with those pressures will require intense cooperation.

In the meantime, though, those of us can need to be educating ourselves for what will happen when the system eventually does fall. We need to understand the alternatives, and help others to understand them as well. We need to be out working to strengthen our bonds in our community, and helping them foster interdependence. Our communities our our units of strength in times of need, because unfortunately the working class can no longer unionize in the same way we once were able to.

It will be a long haul, and we are not ready for it yet. I do think Bernie can become president, and I fully support his run. But we are not ready for a full on revolution against the oligarchs.

[PeteSelman]

40. Honestly, no.

We can't get even half of the people to vote. And half of those who do are utterly clueless as to what they're voting for.

Most people have no idea that we need to fight the moneyed scum or why.

Nope, we can't pay attention to anything longer than a day.

[randome]

44. Congress is the enemy, not the rich.

It's Congress who gives them the keys to the vault.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Aspire to inspire.[/center][/font][hr]

[AuntPatsy]

50. True

[Orsino]

45. History guarantees it.

We are quite willing to endure decades or centuries of abuse, though, before we act.

[raouldukelives]

47. Not from what I have seen. Most are concerned with assiting them, not resisting them.

There is a lot of money flowing through Washington. Were talking the Mississippi of corporate funded lobbyists and groups like ALEC. Constantly wining, dining and slow dancing with every politician and media player they can get their hands on. Makes it great for companies like Dow, Chevron & Lockheed, makes it worse for anyone concerned with the suffering of others or the future lives of our offspring and every other living or soon to be extinct pitiful creature.
All that corporate money and its a wonder we get any Democratic principles represented in DC.
If people truly want to stand for democracy, for the little people, they might want to stop standing with ALEC.
You can hold hands with Halliburton or hold signs of change.
"You know, for kids."

[polichick]

49. So many great responses here! I agree that...

it doesn't look as if enough people are ready - still, things are conspiring to push us, ready or not.

I also agree that it could be a totally different - and digital - kind of "revolution," and I can see it happening quickly (not counting this long, pressurized build-up), and including a major paradigm shift.

Can't wait to find out what Bernie is seeing out there!

[ananda]

52. That is a good question!

One that I don't have an answer for.

[treestar]

53. a mass movement or political revolution

it takes quite a lot to have that happen. Our system does allow us change and representation. We have a problem of apathy.